Lawndale-Crawford Community Collection

Abstract

Originally gathered by the Lawndale-Crawford Historical Association, the manuscripts, printed material and photographs in this collection focus upon the community areas that span North and South Lawndale and includes documentation of Bohemian immigrants who settled in the area around 1900. There is also information about neighborhood schools, businesses, residents, clubs, and the controversial name changing of Crawford Avenue to Pulaski Road.

Biographical/Historical

The Lawndale-Crawford community area is comprised of North and South Lawndale community areas on Chicago’s West Side. Historically Lawndale and Crawford were suburbs of Chicago until the area was annexed into the city in 1889.

North Lawndale is number 29 of the 77 official communities that make up Chicago. The community lies five miles west of the Loop at the city’s border with Cicero on the west, a couple of blocks south of the Eisenhower Expressway on the north and is bounded by railroad lines on the south and east sides and includes Douglass Park. The area was annexed into Chicago in stages, the eastern sections in 1869 and the other sections in 1889.

South Lawndale is number 30 of the 77 official communities that make up Chicago. Situated five miles southwest of the Loop, the area is bounded by the Stevenson Expressway on the south, Cermak Road on the north, Western Avenue on the east and Cicero Avenue on the west. The neighborhood historically included a mix of two-flat apartments and industry.

North and South Lawndale attracted residents following the Great Fire of 1871. By the mid-20th century, North Lawndale teemed with Chicago's Jewish community. South Lawndale’s early settlers included Germans and Czechoslovakians who moved westward on 22nd Street (later Cermak Road). The rest of the area, west of Crawford Avenue (later Pulaski Road) was annexed to the city in 1889. A number of industries were established along the area’s railroads, including the McCormick plant (later the International Harvester Company) and the Western Electric Company’s Hawthorne Works in Cicero, just northwest of the area. Successive groups of Poles, African Americans and Latinx communities have followed to take advantage of employment opportunities in nearby industry.

The members of the Lawndale-Crawford Historical Association gathered the bulk of the materials. Formed in 1934 to commemorate the community area’s early settlers and to stimulate an interest in neighborhood history, the Association had a close relationship with the Chicago Public Library, Toman Branch who also collected the history and culture of Czechoslovakia to serve the community. The Library’s Czech collection was named in honor of Czech President, Thomas G. Masaryk.

Scope and Contents

Originally gathered by the Lawndale-Crawford Historical Association, the manuscripts, printed material and photographs in this collection focus upon the community areas that span North and South Lawndale and includes documentation of Bohemian immigrants who settled in the area around 1900. There is also information about neighborhood schools, businesses, residents, clubs, and the controversial name changing of Crawford Avenue to Pulaski Road.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The Lawndale-Crawford Community Collection consists of an initial accession and three supplements.

The members of the Lawndale-Crawford Historical Association gathered the bulk of the materials. The collection was transferred from Chicago Public Library, Toman Branch in 1981 as part of a Dr. Scholl Foundation grant.

Additional material continues to be added through transfer or donation.

Photographs numbered 2.1 through 2.32 were received at the same time as those numbered with a prefix of “1.” It is unclear why the numbering prefix changed. Photographs numbered 4.1 through 4.46 were on loan when the original collection was cataloged and were therefore missed in the series cataloged under prefix "1."

Supplement 1 was added in January 1989 and consists of items transferred from the Chicago Public Library, Toman Branch. The bulk of this material is comprised of land title abstracts dated 1873-1905, concerning property in the Lawndale-Crawford area (Box 5, Folders 29-33). Two folders (Box 5, Folders 27-28) have contents concerning Thomas Garrigue Masaryk (1850-1937), Czechoslovak president who lived for a short time with a Lawndale-Crawford family in 1918-1919 while on faculty at the University of Chicago.

Supplement 2 was added in October 1989 and consists of two yearbooks and a student scrapbook relating to Harrison Technical High School, 1920-1924 and 1931 (Box 6, Folders 1-3). The scrapbook and 1924 yearbook were the property of HTHS student Dorothy Alter; the 1931 yearbook belonged to her brother Morris. Additional items in Supplement 2 were part of an anonymous donation in May, 1988.

Supplement 3 was added in June 1992 and consists of materials related to the PTA of the Robert Burns School (Box 6, Folders 7-14). These materials were transferred from Chicago Public Library, Toman Branch in July, 1991.

Supplement 4 was added in January 2019 and includes the contents in Box 6, Folders 16-17 and Photograph 1.690.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into 12 Series by topic:

• Series 1: Biographical Data, circa 1850-1979
• Series 2: Business Establishments, 1875-1978, undated
• Series 3: Religious Institutions, circa 1870-1977
• Series 4: Clubs and Organizations, 1878-1978
• Series 5: Historical Sketches and News Clippings, 1873-1977, undated
• Series 6: Municipal Agencies and Community Organizations, Photographs, circa 1882-1935
• Series 7: Parks, Photographs, 1875-1977
• Series 8: Residences, Photographs, 1863-1977, undated
• Series 9: Schools, 1884-1977
• Series 10: Streets, circa 1880-1977, undated
• Series 11: Transportation, 1890-1977, undated
• Series 12: Wartime Activities, 1917, circa 1941

Separated Materials

Six oversize Sokol programs from Prague, Czechoslovakia, 1932-1938 were sent to the American Sokol Organization, 6424 W. Cermak Road, Berwyn, Illinois.

Subject Headings

• Associations, institutions, etc -- Illinois -- Chicago – History
• Business enterprises -- Illinois -- Chicago -- History
• Czechs -- Chicago -- Illinois -- History -- Sources
• Farragut High School (Chicago, Ill.)
• Gymnasts -- Societies -- Illinois -- Chicago
• North Lawndale (Chicago, Ill.)
• Portraits -- Illinois -- Chicago -- History
• Religious institutions -- Illinois -- Chicago -- History
• Schools -- Illinois -- Chicago -- History
• Societies and clubs -- Illinois -- Chicago -- History
• South Lawndale (Chicago, Ill.)

Related Materials

• Chicago Public Library Archives, Toman Branch
• Girl Scouts of America #427 Records
• Lawndale-Crawford Community Collection
• Lawndale-Crawford Historical Association Records
• North Lawndale Community Collection
• O’Quinn Family Papers
• Faith Rich Papers
• South Lawndale Community Collection
• John Toman Scrapbooks

Collection Inventory

Series 1: Biographical Data, circa 1850-1979

Scope and Contents

The pioneers and early residents of the Lawndale-Crawford community are represented in this series by such items as correspondence, historical biographies, memorabilia, and related material. Also included are a number of articles that appeared as a series in the West End News in 1940; they are short biographical sketches of many of the prominent residents of the area.

Arrangement

Series 1 is arranged into 2 subseries: Subseries A: Documents, 1878-1979 and Subseries B: Photographs, circa 1850-1952, undated

Subseries A: Documents, 1878-1979, undated

Arrangement

Subseries A is arranged alphabetically by last name.

Subseries B: Photographs, circa 1850-1952

Arrangement

Subseries B is arranged alphabetically by last name. Images with multiple persons are filed by the first person identified. The number of images with the same description is indicated in parentheses.

Series 2: Business Establishments, 1875-1978, undated

Scope and Contents

The material in this series consists mainly of individual items on or from local businesses such as advertisements, brochures, historical sketches, newspaper clippings and related material. Of special interest is the Millard & Decker Real Estate brochure for the early Lawndale-Crawford area, dated 1875.

Arrangement

Series 2 is arranged into into 2 Subseries: Subseries A: Documents, 1875-1978, undated and Subseries B: Photographs, 1885-1978, undated

Subseries A: Documents, 1875-1978, undated

Scope and Contents

Subseries A contains advertisements, brochures, historical sketches and news clippings from Lawndale-Crawford businesses.

Arrangement

Subseries A is arranged alphabetically by business name.

Subseries B: Photographs, 1885-1978, undated

Arrangement

Subseries B is arranged alphabetically by business name. The number of images with the same description is indicated in parentheses. Photographic prints and glass plate slides that share a number are the same image.

Series 3: Religious Institutions, circa 1870-1977

Scope and Contents

Series 3 contains items anniversary brochures, bulletins, historical sketches, news clippings, photographs and programs related to religious organizations in the Lawndale-Crawford communities.

Arrangement

The files are organized into 2 subseries: Subseries A: Documents, 1895-1976, undated and Subseries B: Photographs, circa 1870-1977, undated

Subseries A: Documents, 1895-1976, undated

Arrangement

Subseries A is arranged alphabetically by name of religious organization or topic.

Subseries B: Photographs, circa 1870-1977, undated

Arrangement

Subseries B is arranged alphabetically by name of religious organization or topic. The number of images with the same description is indicated in parentheses. Photographic prints and glass plate slides that share a number are the same image.

Series 4: Clubs and Organizations, 1878-1978

Scope and Contents

Many civic and social groups of the Lawndale-Crawford community are represented in this series, including the Millard Avenue Woman's Club, which is the second oldest of its kind in the city, and the Bohemian Sokol groups. Materials include brochures, bulletins, invitations, newspaper clippings and programs.

Arrangement

Series 4 is arranged in 2 Subseries: Subseries A: Documents, 1878-1974 and Subseries B: Photographs, 1894-1977, undated.

Subseries A: Documents, 1878-1978

Arrangement

Subseries A is arranged in alphabetical order by name of organization.

Subseries B: Photographs, 1894-1977, undated

Arrangement

Subseries B is arranged in alphabetical order by name of organization. The number of images with the same description is indicated in parentheses.

Series 5: Historical Sketches and News Clippings, 1873-1977, undated

Scope and Contents

Series 5 contains historical sketches written by early residents of the area, news clippings from various local newspapers such as the Community Reporter and West End News and maps. The series also contains a booklet compiled by the members of the Lawndale-Crawford Historical Association listing the names and addresses of early community residents (see: Lawndale-Crawford Historical Association Records).

Arrangement

Series 5 is arranged alphabetically by title, topic or type of document.

Series 6: Municipal Agencies and Community Organizations, Photographs, circa 1882-1935

Scope and Contents

Series 6 contains photographs of municipal, federal and community agencies spanning 1882 and 1935. The images include activities and station views of the Fire Department, Police Department, Lawndale Pest House, Post Office and Sanitary District Drainage Canal.

Arrangement

Series 6 is arranged alphabetically by agency or organization. The number of images with the same description is indicated in parentheses. Photographic prints and glass plate slides that share a number are the same image.

Series 7: Parks, Photographs, 1875-1977

Scope and Contents

Series 7 contains photographs of parks and playgrounds in the Lawndale-Crawford communities.

Arrangement

Series 7 is arranged alphabetically by park or playground name. The number of images with the same description is indicated in parentheses. Photographic prints and glass plate slides that share a number are the same image.

Series 8: Residences, Photographs, 1863-1977, undated

Scope and Contents

Series 8 contains photographs of notable historic residences.

Arrangement

Series 8 is arranged alphabetically by street name and address or name of historic resident, if address is unknown. The number of images with the same description is indicated in parentheses. Photographic prints and glass plate slides that share a number are the same image.

Series 9: Schools, 1884-1977

Scope and Contents

Series 9 contains announcements, bulletins, historical sketches, news clippings, programs and yearbooks on schools in the Lawndale-Crawford area, including early grammar schools such as Lawndale and Howland that are no longer in existence. The series also contains documents on local parent-teacher associations (PTA).

Arrangement

Series 9 is arranged into 2 subseries: Subseries A: Documents, 1884-1981 and Subseries B: Photographs, 1885-1977.

Subseries A: Documents, 1884-1981

Arrangement

Subseries A is arranged alphabetically by school name.

Subseries B: Photographs, 1885-1977

Arrangement

Subseries B is arranged alphabetically by school name. The number of images with the same description is indicated in parentheses. Photographic prints and glass plate slides that share a number are the same image.

Series 10: Streets, circa 1880-1977, undated

Scope and Contents

Series 10 consists primarily of historical sketches and news clippings related to streets in the community. Of particular interest is the controversy in the 1930s and 1940s surrounding the name change from Crawford Avenue to Pulaski Road.

Arrangement

Series 10 is arranged into 2 subseries: Subseries A: Documents, 1900-circa 1950, undated and Subseries B: Photographs, circa 1880-1977, undated.

Subseries A: Documents, 1900-circa 1950, undated

Arrangement

Subseries A is arranged alphabetically by street name.

Subseries B: Photographs, circa 1880-1977, undated

Arrangement

Subseries B is arranged alphabetically by street name. The number of images with the same description is indicated in parentheses. Photographic prints and glass plate slides that share a number are the same image.

Series 11: Transportation, 1890-1977, undated

Scope and Contents

Series 11 contains a historical sketch, news clippings, ephemeral items and photographs related to Lawndale transportation, primarily mass transit and railroad.

Arrangement

Series 11 is arranged into 2 subseries: Subseries A: Documents, 1900-1976, undated and Subseries B: Photographs, 1890-1977, undated

Subseries A: Documents, 1900-1976, undated

Subseries A is arranged alphabetically by transit type and alphabetically within.

Subseries B: Photographs, 1890-1977, undated

Arrangement

Subseries B is arranged alphabetically by transit type and alphabetically within. The number of images with the same description is indicated in parentheses. Photographic prints and glass plate slides that share a number are the same image.

Series 12: Wartime Activities, 1917, circa 1941

Scope and Contents

Series 12 contains images community wartime activities from World War I and World War II. Photographs 5.1 through 5.5 are contact sheets and include photos of the South Lawndale Victory Garden. The photographs were found in an envelope marked “Toman Branch Library.”

Arrangement

Series 12 is arranged alphabetically by location or topic.